Pat Hughes has asked us to share the scenic route the community buses are taking to Etchingham through the High Weald in the hope that it may be of help to some readers going for their Covid jab – and it assumes you set off from Rye:
- Go up to BROAD OAK CROSSROADS
- Go STRAIGHT OVER and on to CRIPPS CORNER (approximately 3 miles)
- At crossroads turn LEFT (signed Sedlescombe) and then RIGHT (signed
Maidstone Hawkhurst) onto B2244 Junction Road. - Go on B2244 for approximately 4 miles until you reach crossroads where THE CURLEW is
- Turn LEFT at CURLEW (signed Hurst Green) and keep on (just under 2 miles, bit narrow & twisty) until you reach A21
- Junction with A21 has not fantastic visibility, go on left side of triangle (has big tree, telegraph pole and bench), and then turn RIGHT onto A21 and go down into HURST GREEN (just under 1 mile)
- Turn LEFT onto A265 (signed Lewes) and continue on for 2 miles to ETCHINGHAM Village Hall (as you come to Etchingham station is on right, WICKED crossing, beware!)
- VILLAGE HALL is almost at end of village, on RIGHT (big new building)
This takes 30-35 minutes, please do not get to the site any more than 5 minutes before your appointment time.
Image Credits: John Minter .
What a shame there isn’t a scenic route to the rye hub. Well done Ticehurst, your GPS and pharmacists for getting Ticehurst village hall ready to vaccinate.
One wonders why this new hub with all its parking has not been made use of, especially for those who find travel difficult.
… I suppose for logistics, speed and efficiency it was important to create centralised vaccination locations, each with the greatest possible reach of the local/regional population. By definition, no matter where these are located, some people would inevitably need to travel to attend their appointment.
Given the circumstances and how stretched our national health resources are, at this point there cannot possibly be a vaccination centre local to everyone. We are lucky and grateful to the community transport and its wonderful volunteers who are so willing to give up their time to play such a valuable role in this major national effort.
I concur with the views expressed by Jake – everyone who has been to Etchingham is amazed at the scale and efficiency of the operation. Sorry MF, but at this stage it is a question of achieving the maximum number of vaccinations in the shortest possible time (the 15 million that it is aimed should receive their first vaccination by the 15th Feb represents a quarter of the ENTIRE population of the UK over 10 years old) and setting up centres that can help do this is key. There is nowhere in Rye that could handle these numbers – and I am a huge fan of the Hub on Rye Hill – plus when surgeries are collaborating (7 at Etchingham including the 2 from Rye, in Hastings at the Kings Centre it is 9) they can carry on regular GP services as well as well as being part of the vaccination programme which includes care homes and the housebound.
The route that RDCT uses starts from Rye, so for other villages add on the time to get into Rye. For those in Peasmarsh and Beckley we suggest getting to the A28 and taking the Staplecross road at Horns Cross which will take you through to Cripps Corner and the turn onto the B2244 (from Northiam just go straight down the A28 to Horns Cross).
Just been in for the vaccine at Etchingham. Staff very helpful and efficient. Don’t arrive more than 5 minutes early or you will be sent away to a car park down the road.
A big thank you to Rye & District Community Transport for offering this service to our community. The Rye & Winchelsea Rotary Club continue to offer support, especially as they face additional fuel costs running this service. If you can, please help them to continue to help our community.